The San Francisco 49ers continue to showcase elite talent on both sides of the ball, with several players earning spots on Pro Football Focus' (PFF) list of the top 50 NFL players ahead of the 2025 season.
Linebacker Fred Warner was the first 49ers star revealed on the PFF50, which evaluates players based on past production, future potential, and overall impact on the game. Warner wasn't alone. Three of his high-profile teammates also cracked the list.
PFF's rankings are based on its proprietary grading system and wins above replacement (WAR) metric, with a strong emphasis on performance from the 2024 season. That focus explains why star running back Christian McCaffrey, who was named the 2023 NFL Offensive Player of the Year, was left off the list after being limited to just four games last season due to injuries.
With Warner's No. 24 ranking already covered, let's take a look at how his three 49ers teammates fared in the PFF50 and what the experts had to say about them.
No. 9 - TE George Kittle
George Kittle continues to cement his legacy as one of the most complete tight ends in NFL history. In 2024, he hauled in 78 receptions for 1,106 yards and eight touchdowns, marking his fourth career 1,000-yard campaign. His efforts earned him a sixth Pro Bowl nod and his fifth All-Pro selection (second-team in 2024).
"There are few, if any, players like George Kittle in today's NFL," wrote PFF's Dalton Wasserman and Trevor Sikkema. "His rare ability to dominate both as a receiver and blocker sets him apart. Kittle led all tight ends with a 92.1 PFF grade in 2024, more than five points higher than anyone else at the position. He paired a league-best 92.4 receiving grade and 14.2 yards per reception with a 70.8 run-blocking grade, second among tight ends. With Travis Kelce showing signs of decline, Kittle enters 2025 as the clear No. 1 at his position."
No. 12 - DE Nick Bosa
Nick Bosa's sack totals continue to dip. He failed to rack up double-digit sacks for the first time since 2020, having recorded 19.5 over the past two seasons, after a career-high 18.5 in 2022 alone.
Still, most view Bosa as a dominant pass rusher, and his analytics back that up.
"Bosa set a PFF rookie record with 102 pressures in 2019 and hasn't slowed down since," Wasserman and Sikkema noted. "He's posted a PFF grade of 89.4 or higher in each of the past four seasons while leading all edge defenders in total pressures over that span. In 2024, his 91.0 grade ranked third among edge defenders with 300 or more snaps. As the 49ers develop young talent around him, Bosa remains the cornerstone of their defensive front."
No. 17 - OT Trent Williams
Despite missing the final seven games of the 2024 season due to an ankle injury, Trent Williams still earned high marks from PFF. However, his 2024 marks were his lowest as a Niner. Before last season, Williams had never earned a PFF offensive grade lower than 91.7 during his time with the Bay Area team.
His inclusion in the PFF50 ranking remains impressive, considering his age and the time he missed.
"The fact that Williams' 85.6 PFF grade in 2024 is his lowest since arriving in San Francisco underscores just how dominant he's been," wrote Wasserman and Sikkema. "He leads all tackles with a staggering 97.7 PFF grade and 2.34 PFF WAR over the last five seasons. Even after a slight dip and missing the final seven weeks last year, Williams remains one of the NFL's elite offensive linemen heading into his age-37 season."